


Countdown to Eternity

by Error305_Proxy



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Timers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-16
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2018-01-25 00:10:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1621997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Error305_Proxy/pseuds/Error305_Proxy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since he got it after his 18th birthday, Sidney's TiMER has always been blank instead of counting down like everybody else's is. Sid's not worried, since it probably means his soul mate just hasn't gotten around to getting a TiMER yet, so really, all Sid has to do is wait.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Totally inspired by the movie TiMER (in case you were curious, the movie is only ok, but the concept is kind of amazing).

" … and we got them just after she turned 18, and it was great, happily ever after." Flower says with a huge grin, telling a wide-eyed Olli about the story of him and Vero. "I mean, she got hers first, mine was five minutes after. Hers was blank when they put it on, so that was a good sign. And then I got mine, and we kind of smiled at each other and they both just went to zero and started beeping right away, so…" Flower shrugs, "Yeah, we're soul mates. Scientifically proven."

"That's really cool." Olli sighs almost wistfully, "I wish mine would count down faster."

"Two years, man, that's not bad." Jussi ruffles Olli's hair affectionately, "Mine was 5."

"Hey, at least you know they're out there. Mine's just - " Sid sighs. This happens every single time the topic comes up, especially when there's a rookie involved. "It's just blank. It's been blank since I got it."

"Yeah, but the company didn't mind that, eh? Day after the interview when Sid said he has a blank TiMER, sales went up like, what was it, 8%? 10%?" Duper is grinning on the other side of the locker room, "All the girls who didn't have them before went out and bought them."

"Not just girls, eh?" Flower shouts as he jumps up from where he's sitting, "Plenty of boys too."

"Oh yeah, we had a lot of signs at the games just after that, 'Check your TiMER Sid', 'I got my TiMER for you, Sid'. It was crazy." Duper laughs again, and Sid throws his balled up socks at his winger.

"That's enough." Sid uses his best captain voice, "Come on, on ice boys, on ice now."

"Still blank?" Geno crowds up to Sid as everyone is exiting the locker room.

"Still blank." Sid confirms. He bumps Geno's shoulder a little on the way to the rink, then steps in front of the Russian to get on ice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sid got his TiMER when he turned 18, as most Canadians do. His entire family flew out and went with him for the special occasion. To say that he was disappointed when the TiMER blanked out the second it was attached to his arm would be a drastic understatement.

His parents met through the TiMER at a local hockey rink, and most of the people he knew in Cole Harbour (most adults) had it too. He knew that having a blank TiMER was always a possibility, but in the mind of 18-year-old Sid, it still sucked a lot.

"Now keep in mind that this doesn't mean they're not out there." His mom had said on the car ride back, "It just means that your soul mate doesn't have a TiMER. You may just have to wait a couple of years."

"Yeah I guess." Sid sat in the back seat, his fingers tracing over the little white strip the size of a band-aid that's now seamlessly attached to his forearm. "

Theoretically, the TiMER is supposed to count down to when Sid meets his soul mate. The doctor who activated the TiMER for him had patiently explained, "It only works if the two of you interact with each other, so if you're playing hockey and he or she is in the stands, it won't do anything."

"99.8% EFFECTIVE. CONNECTING SOULS EVERY DAY" The poster at the clinic had proudly proclaimed, underneath the white block letter was a picture of a couple holding hands and smiling incredibly wide, obviously in love.

Sid had rolled his eyes at how cheesy the picture looked, but had also been a little jealous. Since then, his TiMER has remained stubbornly blank.  Sometimes Sid thinks maybe his soul mate doesn't exist. Maybe there's nobody out there for him, that the only thing he has is hockey. On those nights Sid wishes the TiMER was never invented.

 

 

 

 

 

Geno was the first over-18 person Sid met who voluntarily didn't get a TiMER. He finds out about this two months after Geno makes his grand escape and touches down in Pittsburgh. Flower was introducing Vero to Geno during lunch on an off day and telling his story of how they proved themselves to be soul mates with lots of hand gestures and pleading looks towards Sergei. Afterwards Geno smiles, pats Flower on the shoulder, and says something to Sergei.

"He says you lucky." Sergei translates dutifully, "But it must be broken because she way too good for you."

"Hey, you tell him he's not allowed to chirp unless he's chirping in English." Flower shouts amidst the laughter around the table, "What about you, fucker? When's your big day?"

Geno says something, and Sergei shoots him an incredulous look before translating, "He says he doesn't have a TiMER."

The awkward silence that blankets the table is almost palpable. Usually, when a person's soul mate passes away, the TiMER gets removed from the surviving individual.

Geno laughs and shakes his head, "No, not dead. I not want." Geno says in his still rough English, "Not need."

Any further prompts for question had been waved off with the same blank I-don't-understand-English look that Geno adopts with the media when he doesn't want to answer thing. Sergei had refused to translate any further, saying that in Russia it's rude to ask about such things (Sid finds out years later, from Ovechkin of all people, that it's not).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The day before James Neal and Matt Niskanen were scheduled to arrive in Pittsburgh, the locker room was buzzing with something else entirely. Paul's TiMER was counting down, and it's a matter of minutes before it hits zero.

Sid has never been present for a countdown before, so he stays after in the locker room for much longer than he usually does, waiting for it to happen.

"Well you're not going to meet her if he keep staying in here, Paulie." Kuni says from where's sitting, all packed up but showing no intention of leaving until Martin does, "You gotta get out of Consol and, I don't know, walk around the block or something."

"Oh yeah, bump into her and spill coffee all over her stuff, that's Kuni's way of doing it." Flower laughs, loud and obnoxious and comforting , "Literally spills everything on her, then apologizes and says he's nervous because he's about to meet his soul mate."

"It's supposed to happen naturally, right? I'm just supposed to do what I feel like and it'll happen. That's how it works." Paul says in the calming way he does, but Sid knows him well enough to see the way his shoulders are tensed up. "I'll just wait here."

"Paulie, should be more excited!" Geno shouts, he's sitting in the locker room like he's preparing to watch a good movie, "Why you not more excited?"

"I am," Paul says, and sits down with a heavy sigh, "I'm just…what if they don't want me…or, I don't know, what if the TiMER is defective - "

"Who would not want you?" Brooksy nudges his D partner, "Don’t be stupid, nobody ever says no to their soul mate."

"Yeah, but - " Paul starts, but is cut short by the locker room door opening.

"Oh, hey, sorry. I didn't think there would be anybody here." James Neal is standing at the door of the locker room with a mildly embarrassed look on his face, "Sorry, I was just walking around and …well…."

"No, it's not a problem." Sidney stands up from where he's standing and walks over to the newly traded winger, "Sorry, I would have met you outside but I thought you were coming in tomorrow."

"I was going to, yeah." James lets out a shaky laugh, "I mean, they told me to come tomorrow, you know? But I was just a little…uh…I had some energy so I thought I'd check the place out."

"Yeah, no, welcome." Sid puts on his best captain smile and shakes James's hand, "Come meet the boys." He refrains from mentioning Paulie's TiMER, though the wheels in his head have already started turning.

"Hey James," Flower stands up next, and then walks directly over to where Paul is sitting with a semi-terrified expression on his face, "Have you met Paulie? One of our best D-man."

"Hi, nice to meet you Paulie." James says, but his voice does not drown out the high-pitched 'beep-beep-beep' that's coming from both his and Paul's forearms.

"Oh thank god," James visibly sags with relief, "I was worried I'd be stuck with a girl for the rest of my life."

And then, happily ever after.

 

 

 

 

 

Sid kisses Geno for the first time after a devastating loss to the Flyers .The game itself had been bad enough, but sometime during the second period Giroux had made a snarky remark about Sid's lack of soul mate, and when they got back he had been frustrated and angry and sad.

And Geno, Geno had followed him back to his house, his new and empty house that's still cold and not-lived in, and Geno had looked at him with those hooded eyes and had put a hand on his shoulder and it had been so simple to just lean forward and …

…and then they were kissing. Geno's lips are soft, the hand that cups Sid's cheek is callused, but gentle. Geno licks into Sid's mouth, there's a hand in his hair and Sid can still smell the faint scent of shampoo that Geno uses.

And after that it had been easy to fall into bed with Geno. Geno who was patient and gentle but never soft and never shy about asking for exactly what he wants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first time Sid wonders if Geno could be his soul mate is a month after that first kiss. They're lying on Geno's couch, watching whatever new HGTV show that Geno is addicted to that week. A couple on TV is arguing about hardwood floors and storage space and Sid's not really paying attention. He's got his head resting on Geno's shoulder and Geno is feeding him grapes while simultaneously running a hand through Sid's hair.

"Should have you on TV, show world Sidney Crosby know nothing about house." Geno says.

"Nah, they don't want me." The show seems to focus on soul mates who have met recently, whose TiMERs have only counted down the previous week. "I have a blank."

Geno makes a frustrated noise, and tugs on Sid's hair a little, "I tell already, it not matter."

"But what if I just don't have a soul mate." Sid says, exasperated, "What if I'm destined to just … to just spend the rest of my life alone with just my stupid big empty house that doesn't have, I don't know, hardwood floors and granite counters?"

"You have hardwood and granite." Geno says, his accent heavy, "Not worry."

"But G - " Sid starts again, sitting up from where he's leaning on Geno, but is immediately pulled back down.

"You have me. Not alone." Geno says.

"Well yeah," Sid says, noting and saving his flush of pleasure for later analysis, "but what about after we retire, after hockey? You'll want to be in Russia and I don't even know where I'm going to - "

"Can stay here if you want." Geno says, and starts running his hand through Sid's hair again, "Is no problem."

"That doesn't solve the problem of you being in Russia." Sid says, he can feel the frustration in his tone, and he saves that for analysis later too.

"No, I be here, if you want." Geno says, one of his hand moves down Sid's arm and traces Sid's TiMER, "You own team then, give me job as security guard. I stay with you."

"What… " Sid tries to sit up again so he can turn and face Geno face to face, but is again pulled back so he's lying half on top of Geno, his back flush against Geno's chest.

"You not want, I go back to Russia." Geno says, "But I stay if you want."

"I …" Sid pauses, and the idea enters his mind that this is it, Geno must be his soul mate. It makes sense, Geno doesn't a TiMER, and Sid's is blank. "Would you get a TiMER ever?"

"You think we soul mates?" Geno asks, his tone cautious.

"Maybe? I mean, it's not impossible, right?" Sid says, he can feel himself tensing up and can feel Geno tensing behind him too, "We could be."

"If we soul mates," Geno says, and pauses as he searches for his words, "We know. Not need TiMER. I not want get."

"Geno…" Sid sighs, "But then we could be sure… we could … we could save a lot of time and guessing."

"Sid not like spend time with me?" Geno asks.

"No I do. I do, G." Sid rubs his eyes, suddenly wishing he had a better way with words than he actually does, "It's fine, if you don't want to then you don't have to. I was just asking."

They drop the topic in favor of watching HouseHunters International, and Geno gets unreasonably excited when a family is moving to Moscow, but the idea has taken root in Sid's mind, and he doesn't let it go.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Sid gets a text from Geno as he's pulling into the other man's driveway. The texts says, "Lazy here" and Sid can't tell if it's a warning to stay away or just a heads up. He parks the car and walks towards the house anyway, figuring he could always turn around and leave if it came to it.

Sid checks it out of habit as he's leaving the car, the TiMER is still blank. He tries the door once, and it opens without any resistence.

"I know you live in a safe area, but it's probably a good idea to lock the door, G." Sid calls out as he comes in, "I could be a robber."

"You bad robber, give away position." Geno's voice comes floating out of the living room. Sid walks in and finds him and James Neal locked in a vicious battle of Mario Kart, neither of them bothering to turn to look at him.

"Nealer, Paulie letting you off your leash?" Sid sits down. James Neal and Paul Martin have been virtually inseparable, the two of them sticking together for movies, meals, and golfing (which, frankly Sid thinks is impressive, because James Neal is a terrible golfer, even worse than Geno). It's a strange sight now to see James sitting next to Geno, jaws stubbornly locked and staring straight at the screen.

"They break." Geno says casually, but pauses the game to turn to Sid.

"Break? What do you mean break?" Sid sits down next to James and puts a hand on his shoulder, "You're… you can't… you're soul mates."

"Yeah, doesn't mean much really." James shrugs off Sid's hand with a scoff, "When he's so far in the closet he won't tell his folks about me."

"Are you… are you sure?" Sid asks, "That doesn't sound like Paulie."

"Yeah well." James shrugs again, and still refuses to look at either Sid or Geno, "Hey, are we playing or what?"

"I tell you, you need talk to Paul, not play games." Geno gives James a slight shove in the shoulder,

"I'm done talking to Paul." James throws his controller onto the ground once he sees that Geno isn't going to start up the game again, "I want to shoot something. Call of Duty?"

"No, talk to Paul." Geno shakes his head, then looks at Sid, "Nealer be here 2 hours now, not talk."

"James, you want to talk about what happened?" Sid sighs, he was looking forward to spending some time with Geno, but it looks like this is going to turn into some good old captain therapy time.

"There's nothing to talk about, ok? Just … he's fine with us living together and sex and everything but his parents are visiting and he told me to stay away while they're here." James slumps back onto the couch, "So I'm staying away."

Before Sid can say anything, Geno lets out a moan of frustration and hits James upside the head, "So stupid, Lazy. So Stupid."

"Hey, what did I do?" James pushes Geno's hand away and diligently fixes his hair, "I didn't do anything."

"No G's right, that was pretty stupid." Sid says, "Look, there were a lot of ways Paul could have meant that, ok? It doesn't mean he's ashamed of you."

"Yeah well he wants me to stay away." James says, but he sounds less sure of himself than before, and shoots Sid a wistful look like he wants believe but can't quite bring himself to. "I mean, it doesn't really get clearer than that, right?"

"Maybe he ashamed of parents, you think of that?" Geno scoffs, "Maybe he want to surprise parents. Maybe he not have enough room in house for parents and you. Maybe you not be stupid and go talk to him."

"Did you ask him why?" Sid frowns, "Why he wants you to stay away?"

"Uh…no." James at least knows enough to duck his head, "But I mean, he said - "

"Yeah, and I bet when I tell Duper he can't skate for shit it comes off differently than if Disco told him that." Sid shakes his head, "We all say things, but they don't really always mean what you think they mean, ok?"

"Yeah but he - " James gets cut off by Geno's cell phone going off, and he huffs at Geno like an angry cat.

"Hold." Geno says after checking his phone. "Yes?"

"Yes, is right…. Yes, ok….ok…..." Geno laughs, "Yes, come pick up. Bye."

"Who was it? Was that Paulie?" James sits up, "Is he looking for me? You didn't tell him I'm here, did you?"

Sid almost laughs that James's tone. The winger is trying very hard to sound disapproving, but there's no way he can hide the hopeful tilt to his voice, the way his eyes begin shinning brighter right when he mentions Paul.

"No, not Paulie." Geno shrugs, "Decorator, wants to come pick up old couch."

"Oh…" James sighs, and his entire body slumps, "I thought maybe…you know…Paulie…"

"Thought you not want to talk to Paulie." Geno shrugs and turns towards the TV, "Call of Duty now."

"Wait, aren't we going to -" James turns to Sid with a bewildered look on face, "Aren't you going to talk about this some more?"

"Well there hardly seems a point," Sid says after catching a wink from Geno, "I mean, you sound like you've pretty much made up your mind, so…"

"Call of Duty, come on Lazy." Geno hands James the controller, "Thought you want play?"

"I do?" James says, unsure of himself, "I just thought maybe we would, I don't know, analyze this a little more?"

"No, Call of Duty sounds good." Sid shrugs, "I think that makes sense. You don't need to talk, you just need to shoot things."

"But he's my soul mate." James sighs, "He's supposed to love me and all that, right? Ugh, why is this so difficult, it's so much harder than all the other guys I dated."

"Harder? What do you mean?" Sid asks. He's always been curious about soul mate relationships, but he's always thought it would be rude to ask and everything on TV is so cheesy and Hollywood certainly doesn't help.

"Well with the other guys I knew we weren't meant to be, right?" James shrugs, the game has started and he's now shifted most of his attention to dodging the bullets Geno are shooting his way. "So if we fought or whatever then it's no big deal, and if we break up I always knew it was going to be ok because I know in a couple of years or months or whatever I'm going to meet my soul mate, right?"

"Oh…I see." Sid nods. He thinks about his relationship with Geno, and thinks about the times when they've fought, and how every single time, no matter how small the fight was, it always feels like his heart is breaking.

"Yeah but with Paulie, it's hard, you know?" James groans when he takes a headshot in the game, "Every time we fight I feel like my heart is breaking."

"You fight a lot?" Geno shoots James a look, "Why Paulie still with you?"

"We don't fight a lot." James says defensively, "We don't fight. I mean, this is the first time. But still, you know, feels awful."

"That whole soul mate thing doesn't help?" Sid asks, "Shouldn't you know what he's thinking and stuff?"

James laughs, "Yeah right, I wish. Rematch G!"

3 seconds after the start of their second game, the door bell rings.

"I can go get it?" Sid says cautiously, looking at Geno.

"Nah, Lazy go get." Geno says.

"What? No, I'm a guest." James says, "Don't be rude, G."

"Lazy, go get." Geno scowls, "You lose game, you take my couch, you go get door."

"Fine, bully." James throws his controller at Sid, "I'll go get the door for your stupid fancy decorator." James stumps all the way the front door.

"That's Paulie, right?" Sid whispers after James is far away enough that he won't hear.

"Is Paulie," Geno leans over and presses a kiss to Sid quickly. They haven't told the team about their relationship yet, though Mario and Flower both know. "They be ok. You stay for dinner?"

"Uh, yeah?" Sid laughs, "Unless Nealer is staying."

"No, tell Paulie to pick up." Geno smirks, "Lazy go home."

 "Hey you fucker," James walks in with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face, "I'm leaving you for a better center."

"James, don't be rude." Paul is on his heels of his boyfriend, "Sorry, Geno."

"Sid not want you." Geno says haughtily before turning to throw Paul a wink, "You make Lazy listen?"

"Yeah we sorted things out." Paul rolls his eyes fondly at James, "We're thinking of going out to dinner, you guys want to come?"

"Nah, Sid owe me dinner, we order in." Geno replies before Sid can say yes to Paul's offer. "What you actually say to Lazy?."

"Well, I told him to maybe stay at his house while my folks are here, you know..." Paul says with a shrug, "They can be really overwhelming. I was going to introduce James at dinner, and then maybe gradually ease him into the Martin family"

"Good thing Lazy not jump to..." Geno says and frowns while turning to Sid, "What's word, Sid?"

"Jump to conclusions." Sid smirks, "Conclusions."

  
"Yeah well... what kind of a center lies to his line-mate?" James's face is beet red, desperate to change the subject, "I'll never believe anything you say again!"

"We're going to go now." Paul smiles fondly and reaches out to put a hand on James's shoulder, "I'm going to the airport now and James is coming with me, I guess."

"Buy dinner for me next week, Lazy!" Geno shouts as him and Sid hear the front door close.

Sid snorts, "Guess not everything becomes perfect when you find your soul mate." He says after the front door clicks close.

"No, soul mates not psychic." Geno says and pulls Sid into his favorite cuddling position on the couch, "Still lots of work. Same as not soul mates."

"You ever wonder if you'll find your soul mate?" Sid asks.

"Sometimes. But with Sid now, wonder less." Geno smirks, "Will know when meet."

"Do you think…we could be soul mates?" Sid tilts his head up so the two of them are facing each other.

"Mhm, could be." Geno leans over and presses a kiss to Sid's temple, "Sid think?"

"I mean, I don't know." Sid shrugs, "I think maybe? But it's hard to know for sure, you know? If you don't have - "

"My papa and mama not have either. They soul mates." Geno says, there's an edge to his voice like whenever he's forced to do interviews after a loss, "Can know for sure without TiMER."

"Well yeah, I guess." Sid sighs, "But it's easier to know for sure if you just -"

"No, Sid." Geno pushes Sidney so they're sitting apart and no longer touching, "I tell, I not want. You say you not want apple juice, I not have apple juice in house for last two months. You say you want cheesecake in New York, I walk 10 blocks and get you cheesecake. I say I not want TiMER, you not listen."

"Well they're really not the same things, G." Sid rolls his eyes, "And I never asked you do to any of those things, you just did them."

"Yes, did them for you. Want make you happy." Geno's running his hand through his hair now, a sign of his frustration, "Make you happy, so I do what you want. Why you not do what I want?"

"You're right, I'm sorry." Sid says after a deep breath and a long pause. "I'm sorry, G. I didn't mean to pressure you."

"Your TiMER still blank?" Geno asks after a moment.

"Yeah, it's still blank." Sid nods.

"Then yes, I think maybe we soul mates. Maybe not know for sure. But lots things not know for sure. I be ok with that." Geno puts a hand high up Sid's thigh, "But know I want you. Now."

"Oh…" Sid's eyes widen for a moment as Geno's hand slide up even further, "Yeah…yeah okay."

They end up ordering dinner much, much later than originally anticipated,  and Geno is grumpy for the rest of the evening because the Chinese restaurant they ordered from told him he ordered too late and they no longer have egg rolls.


	3. Chapter 3

"Sid, there have been lots of reports of malfunctioning TiMERs, how do you feel about that?"

"I - wait, what?" Sidney is somewhat used to having curveballs thrown at him during the media scrums that follow games against the Flyers, but usually they're about hockey and not something completely unrelated. He's in a good mood, they've just won the game in a shut-out and he has a goal and two assists on the board. It's been a good day. The question about TiMERs comes on the heel of him giving praise to Flower, and his brain can't seem to work quite fast enough to process it.

"There have been a number of reports in the last couple of weeks about TiMERs that have malfunctioned. Ones that suddenly starts to countdown again for no reason, ones that skip days or months without notice. Has yours changed at all in the last couple of weeks?" The reporter is a young female, somebody Sid doesn't really recognize from the usual gaggle.

"No, it's…it's been the same as it always has." Sid says, and scratches a little behind his ear where he can feel sweat trickling down, "I uh - no, it hasn't changed."

"Do you think yours could be one of the malfunctioned ones? Maybe it should have been counting down this whole time?" The reporter asks again, and it must be Sid's imagination but the whole locker room feels quieter all of a sudden.

"No, I don't think so?" Sid blinks, "I mean, I wouldn't know. I haven't - " He pauses again, unsure of what it is he's trying to say. It's not like he can just tell the scrum that he's fairly certain his soul mate is Geno who doesn't have a TiMER so his is obviously not broken, "I'm not a scientist, so I wouldn't know I guess. But uh … I haven't thought that it could be broken. It could be, but I don't know. I don't even know if there is a way of knowing for sure."

"Sid, we saw a hit from Giroux after the whistle and we saw you exchange some words, can you tell us what was said?" Another reporter jumps in before the woman can say anything else, and Sid is glad that the questions are back to ones that he has standard replies to.

"I mean, you say a lot of things on ice during a game, and it's always intense playing against them because of the history." Sid shrugs, "But I think what happens on ice should stay on the ice."

"So you're not going to tell us what you said?"

"No," Sid laughs, "But you can ask him, maybe he'll tell you."

Apparently Giroux got the same question and dodged it, as Sidney had expected, which leads to the Tribune headline the next day being "Sidney Crosby says his TiMER could be broken. What does this mean for the Penguins?".

"It doesn't fucking mean anything for the Penguins," Sid throws the newspaper onto the breakfast counter angrily. "And I didn't say it could be broken. I said I don't know if it is broken."

"I tell you not read paper, you not listen." Geno shakes his head from where he's standing in front of the stove making eggs for the both of them.

Since Sid has taken to staying over at Geno's house more often than not (it's more convenient, Geno has a fully stocked fridge and a slightly better gym than Sid does. It's definitely not because his favorite part of the day is slowly shifting from when he's lacing up skates to when he wakes up next to a grumpy Russian), Sid has bullied Geno into subscribing to a print copy of the Tribune ("It's good for the local economy, G. Plus I like having a paper copy in my hands at breakfast."). Geno has his own subscription on his ipad, not that he ever reads English newspapers. Geno favors reading badly written Russian chick lit on his ipad, this was something that Sid had found out about two months ago . Sidney swore under penalty of no sex for a year that he would never tell anyone else, which means both Flower and Duper now knows but are waiting for the right moment to use this knowledge.

"It's not broken." Sid frowns again, "And even if it is, it has nothing to do with hockey."

"Yes Sid." Geno sighs, and serves them both on the plates that Sid is now making him use. The first time Geno had tried to eat out of the pan with a metal fork Sid had gone into a five minute explanation of the effects of metal on Teflon that neither of them want to go through again.

"It's not." Sid insists again. He's looking at his TiMER now as if staring at it intensely enough would magically make it signal that it's not broken, "It works fine. My soul mate just doesn't want one."

"Doesn't want one?" Geno turns and blinks at Sid, "How you know?"

"Because -" Sid stops himself mid-sentence, because he can't really bring himself to say because I'm pretty sure it's you and you don't want one, "Because otherwise he would have gotten one."

"He?" Geno smirks and raises one eyebrow the way he does when James makes a questionable play on ice that works for no reason other than James Neal can sometimes do incredibly stupid but effective things, "You know is he?"

"Well," Sid rolls his eyes slightly, "Or she, I guess. But looks more and more like it's going to be a guy." He gestures between Geno and himself, "What with this happening and everything."

Geno makes a noise of agreement and turns around to get milk out of his fridge for his coffee, "If you not sure, could go to clinic and check out TiMER. Make sure not broken."

Sid can't really see the expression on Geno's face given the other man is turned away from him, so he's not sure what the right response to that should be. "It's not broken, I don't need it checked out." Sidney says.

He knows it's somehow the right answer when Geno turns around with the biggest grin Sidney ever remembers seeing on the other man's face.

 

 

 

 

 

"Maybe you should get it checked," Flower says when Sid brings up how ridiculous the Tribune is being, "Wouldn't hurt."

"But it's not broken." Sid huffs in frustration, "I know it's not."

"No you don't." Flower scoffs, "You don't want it to be broken because you want it to be him." Sid wants to strangle the goalie when Flower punctuates the statement by throwing a look towards Geno, who is shoving James around the ice in mock body-checks.

"I'm not talking about this anymore." smacks Flower's helmet and vows to shoot at his face all practice long, "You should focus on making saves."

"You're the one who brought it up, fucker." Flower yells across the ice, and Sidney decidedly ignores the confused looks that the rest of the team throws his way.

"Thinks ok?" Geno skates up and ask, "I beat Flower for you?"

"Yeah, be my guest whenever you want," Sid says, shaking his head, then adds as an afterthought, "But after we win the cup."

"Ok Sid." Geno smiles and lightly shoulder checks him.

 

 

 

 

It seems ironic that after everything they were through, the biggest fight that they get into is about whether or not they are going to see the new Spider-man movie.

Of course it's not just about that, it's about a lot more than the stupid movie ("Not stupid, Sid, is good movie"), it seems to be about everything that's unspoken between the two of them.

It starts on a Saturday, day after a game, a narrow win in OT against in Montreal. They have a couple of days off, and Geno suggests they go see a movie.

"Can sit in back, make out like American teenagers." Geno winks when he says it, "Have popcorn."

"No popcorn, but okay." Sid looks up from where he's currently perched on the kitchen stool watching Geno do dishes (he tried once and broke one of Geno's mother's plates, and Geno had very gently but firmly told him to never do it again), "What do you want to see?"

"Hear new Spider-Man is out." Geno smiles, "Lazy says is good."

Sid laughs, "Yeah, ok." he says in a dumb voice, "Let's go see that."

"You not like Spider-Man?" Geno turns around and puts down the plate he's holding slowly, "What, not Superman so not good enough for you?"

"No, I just think it's stupid that they're remaking the movie with Gwen Stacy." Sid shrugs, "I mean, what's even the point, everybody knows she dies."

"Not die in this movie." Geno says adamantly.

"Yeah well," Sid shrugs, "It's stupid, ok? His TiMER is counting down, she hasn't got one. He knows she's not his soul mate, so why is he even with her? It just doesn't make any sense."

"Can date people not soul mates." Geno is frowning now, "Can be in love with person not a soul mate."

"I don't - " Sid sighs, he feels the mood in the room shift, "Look, this isn't about you and me, okay? Not everything is about you and me."

"Did I say about us?" Geno snarls, "You think is about us?"

"No I don't." Sid is standing up now, his hands clenching the edge of the kitchen counter, "Look, you were the one who said you don't want to get a TiMER, so fine. As long as mine stays blank we're good. Look G, I'm in this, ok? I'm with you. I mean, fuck, you're the reason I'm not going to get the stupid thing checked out. You know how much nagging I had to put up with from my mom because of that?"

"Good for you." Geno scowls, "Maybe you should get checked out. Make sure you not wasting time with me."

"I'm not - " Sid throws his hands up in frustration, "You know what, fine. Fine. If that's what you want."

'Is not what I want." Geno steps forward and now they're face to face across the counter, "I want just us. No TiMER. You need to know. Go, go get checked out or you spend rest of life wondering if you missed out on somebody better."

"Fuck you Geno," Sidney doesn't think he's ever been this angry, "You know that's not how I feel."

"How I know how you feel?" Geno takes half a step back, "How I know? All you talk about is soul mate. All you talk is want know for sure."

"Well why don't you just get a stupid fucking thing then," Sidney sticks out his arm, "You've probably taken slashes that hurt more than getting one. I'm not asking for the world here."

"Fuck you," Geno gets the ugly look on his face, same one when somebody takes a cheap shot on ice towards Sid, "You know why I not get? Oksana asked same thing. Zhenya, why you not get? We get together, we know for sure. Zhenya, why you not love me enough to get? I say, okay, you want get, we get together. We go, she get first, TiMER counts down after she get, I still not have."

Geno pauses and takes a shaky breath, "I not love her?  I tell her, we stay can be together, still love each other, is ok. I not mind. She was one who not want. I not good enough because I not soul mate."

"G - " Sid licks his lips, "It's not …it's not going to be like that with us."

"How you know?"

"I just do, ok? I know we're soul mates. We have to be." Sidney says it the same way he tells the team that they're going to win a game.

"You know for sure?" Geno asks, he looks regretful, and Sid hates it, hates that Geno looks that way because of him.

"Yes, yes I know for sure." Sid says with conviction.

"Then why I need to get TiMER?" Geno asks.

Sidney doesn't have reply.

"You go, go get checked out." Geno waves towards the vague direction of the door, "Fine, go make sure you not lying to self."

"Geno - " Sid starts to argue again, but Geno waves him off again and turns around to do dishes, and that's a clear dismissal if Sid's ever seen one.

 

 

 

 

 

He's not sure what possesses him to actually do it, but he remembers driving away from Geno's house feeling like his life just ended, then the next thing he knows, he's in the parking lot in front of the local TiMER clinic.

Three deep breathes, then he leaves the car and walks towards it.

"Hello, welcome, we're excited to be able to help you meet - " The woman at the front desk stops mid-sentence, her mouth opened in the shape of an "o".

"Hi," Sid shuffles up to the front desk slowly, glad that there's nobody else in the waiting area, "I - uh - I was wondering if it's possible to have somebody check out my TiMER? Just to …you know, just to make sure everything's working ok."

"Oh, yes, yes of course Mr.Crosby, right away." She smiles, looking a little frazzled, "I'll just … it'll just be a minute."

"Sure." Sid smiles, "Uh, should I sit down?"

"Yes, of course," She smiles again, dialing the phone now, "Please make yourself comfortable."

Sidney sits down in one of the plastic chairs, and tries not to think about how stupid he's being.

Dr. Kreig is a man in his late thirties, his TiMER ticking down slowly when Sid shakes his hand. "Two more months." He says proudly, "And you can call be Kevin if you like."

Sidney forces out his media smile and nods, "I just want to check it to make sure that…" Sid trails off, "It's just been blank for a really long time and I don't…."

"Of course, of course. All standard check-ups," Dr. Kreig nods (because Sid doesn't feel like he should ever be on first-name basis with any of his doctors, "I'm just going to have to reset this, it'll beep a couple of times just as it's resetting, nothing to worry about."

"Ok." Sidney nods and watches carefully as Dr.Kreig starts typing furiously into a hand-held device that looks vaguely like a walkie-talkie.

"Ok, I'm going to need to just sync these up," Dr Kreig smiles reassuringly, "If I can have your arm for a moment?"

"Yeah, sure." Sid raises his arm obediently, "What - "

The TiMER goes off with several high-pitched beeping noises, and Sidney startles even though he knew he was supposed to be expecting it.

"It'll just restart itself in a couple of minutes," Dr.Kreig says, letting go of Sid's arm, "It'll beep again when it's restarted. If it takes longer five minutes, I'll run some more in-depth diagnosis."

"Sounds good."

The TiMER beeps again in less than 2 minutes, of which Sidney spends talking to Dr.Kreig about what it's like to be playing for the Penguins.

Sidney looks down, and feels like his world stops when he sees that TiMER is counting down, and there's only 20 minutes and spare left on it.

"Well - " Dr.Kreig laughs and pats Sidney on the shoulder, "Look at that! Congratulations."

"No." Sid stands up from where he's sitting and starts pacing the room, the doctor looks at him like he's crazy, and he's not sure that he's not entirely crazy when he opens his mouth again, "Take it off. I want this off. Right now."

"Now, Mr.Crosby, I understand that this is a little over-whelming - "

"No, no you don't understand. Take this off. I want this thing off right now." Sidney growls, he's using his captain voice on his doctor, "I have a soul mate already, I don't need this. Take. It. Off."

"Right, well if you're sure." The doctor smiles ruefully, "I just need you to sign some paperwork before I can take it off."

For all that the TiMER is supposed to do, it is surprisingly easy to take off the thing from Sidney's arm. A minute or so of typing, and touch, and the thing peels right off like a band-aid. The patch of skin on his arm is significantly paler than the rest, and there's a clear mark. It doesn't feel any different from when he was wearing it, though Sid suddenly feels a million times lighter, feels like he can breathe again.

"If you have any questions, I can -" Whatever Dr.Kreig was going to say is cut off by Sidney's phone, the ringtone is one that he's familiar with, one that Geno had picked for himself.

"Excuse me," Sid smiles and picks up the call, "Hey…"

"You ok, Sid?" Geno's voice sounds frantic, "Where you at?"

"I'm just on my way …" Sid exhales slowly before continuing again, "I can be back at yours in about 15?"

"Yes." Geno says after the longest pause in Sidney's life, "Yes, come back soon."

"K, see you soon." Sid smiles, even though he knows Geno can't see him, "Want me to bring anything back?"

"Is ok." Geno says, his voice a low rumble over the phone, "Just be safe."

"That was your soul mate, huh?" Dr.Kreig asks after Sid hangs up the phone.

"Yeah," Sid smiles, a little embarrassed, "Is it obvious?"

"Ah, I've worked here long enough to know it when I hear it." the doctor smiles, "But I just want you to know that the TiMER wouldn't have worked over the phone, so it could have been counting down towards - "

"Thank you, doctor," Sidney interrupts the man, "I'm just … he doesn't have a TiMER."

"Ah…I see." Dr. Kreig nods, "Well, I've met plenty of couples with out-of-sync TiMERs who are perfectly happy."

"Yes, thank you." Sidney stands up, "Uh, thank you for your help. I'm … I should get going."

"Good luck with the rest of the season, Mr.Crosby." Dr.Kreig says, "And please rest assured the press won't find anything about your TiMER from this clinic."

"Thank you. I appreciate that." Sidney smiles, "You have a good day."

 

 

 

 

 

Sidney opens the door to Geno's house with the key he's had for a while now, safely next to his own that he hasn't really used in more than month.

"Hey," Sid calls softly when he sees Geno on the couch. Say Yes to the Dress is on TV, Geno has it on mute.

"Ok, Sid?" Geno raises his head and asks.

"Yeah, just fine." Sid sits down on the couch. His long sleeve is hiding his arm, and he tries to think of something to tell Geno.

"Get TiMER checked out? Works ok?" Geno gives him a shaky smile, "Still blank?"

"Uh, yeah." Sid nods, "It was fine, wasn't broken."

"Still blank?" Geno asks again, he's turned towards the TV and his tone light, but the tense lines of his jaw and shoulders tells Sid otherwise.

"Uh, I took it off." Sid says, he's not going to tell Geno about the countdown, because it makes no difference now, "I just want us."

"You took off?" Geno turns to Sid, his eyes wide, "You took off?"

"Yeah, I - " Sid smiles, he pushes up his sleeve and shows Geno, "Look, see? I told you, I'm in this with you, G. I  - you're my soul mate."

"You…" Geno touches the pale patch on Sidney's arm where the TiMER used to be, "You so stupid, Sid, why you not tell?"

"I …" Sidney's not quite sure what he did or if he did anything wrong, "I thought you would want this."

"Yes, want." Geno shakes his head, he's smiling now, which has to be a good sign, "Thought you would want _this_."

Geno pushes up his left sleeve, and Sid blinks a couple of times at seeing the blank TiMER on his forearm.

"Geno…what…" Sid reaches out, but stops himself just short of actually touching Geno's arm, "It's blank."

"Was counting down from 22 minutes when I first get." Geno says, "Was very excited, very happy. Thought, ok, I go home, meet Sid in 22 minutes, is all good. Then TiMER is blank, I get scared, thought maybe Sid in accident, call right away."

"Oh…" Sid blinks, "Mine…mine turned to 22 something before I took it off." He's barely fighting the smile that he knows is appearing on his face now.

"So, what we do now?" Geno asks, leaning forward so their foreheads are touching, breath mingling together.

"We could always go see that Spiderman movie." Sid grins and leans in for a kiss.

"I think, can do other things." Geno says right before their lips meet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_**BONUS:** _

"What are you reading?" Sid asks as he climbs into bed. "Looks intense."

"Is very intense." Geno replies, eyes never leaving his ipad. He does, however, extend an arm out so Sid can cuddle up to him the way he likes.

"It's all in Russian." Sid frowns as he looks at the ipad, "You going to tell me what it's about?"

"Busy, Sid." Geno strokes Sid's arm absent-mindedly as he flips to the next page on the screen, "You sleep, I finish then sleep too."

"Well at least tell me the name of the book." Sid mutters as he snuggles even close into the crook of Geno's neck. Geno had taken great pleasure in telling him that it used to be Dixie's favorite spot the first time Sid had done that.

"Does not translate well." Geno replies."Is complicated."

"Try me." Sid frowns and puffs up a little in the way he does whenever he feels like he's being challenged.

"Is…" Geno pauses, and sighs dramatically like he does every time he thinks Sidney is asking him to do something unreasonable, "Hand-written Records of Виктория Ивано́в."

"Of who?" Sid asks, "Is it a history book?"

"Victoria Ivanov." Geno says slowly, exaggerating the American accent for Sid's sake, "Not history book."

"Oh," Sid closes his eyes slowly, ready for sleep but not quite tired enough, "Who's she?"

"Is PR lady, like Jen." Geno says slowly, "Makes books."

"Makes books?" Sid opens his eyes, "Like, a publishing company?"

Geno makes a noise that sounds like agreement.

"What's so interesting about her records then?" Sid frowns, "What records does she even keep? Is it about other Russian authors?" Sid's heard Taylor talk about these industry tell-all books from Hollywood that her friends are obsessed with, mostly just people who work in the industry writing gossip about the stars, how they are to work with, how long is left on the TiMER's countdown. He wonders if maybe there's something similar for Russian writers.

"No, " Geno huffs, as if the very idea offends him, "Is about her life. She smokes too much, drinks too much vodka. Her parents be crazy. She in love with two men, not have TiMER, cannot tell which is soul mate."

"Oh…" Sid sits up slowly, "Is one of the men her boss?"

Geno's eyes flick up from the screen to meet Sidney's for the first time, "Da." He says, his body tense as if it's preparing itself for a fight, "So?"

"You're reading Bridget Jones's Diary in Russian." Sid says flatly, "What, they changed her name to Victoria?"

"Bridget not proper name in Russian." Geno says defensively and clutches his ipad slightly tighter, as if afraid Sidney's going to take it away from him. "You read book too. How else you know from what I tell you?"

"It's a movie," Sid laughs and lies back down next to Geno, "Taylor made me watch it with her."

"Is good book." Geno says, he's back to reading it now, "Not tell team I read this."

"Well why do you care if it's a good book?" Sidney asks in a teasing tone. He's tracing the numbers 7187 on Geno's stomach with his index finger, something he's taken to doing whenever they're in bed together, relaxed like they are now.

"Team not …" Geno pauses, "They not appreciate good literature."

"Oh ok." Sid nods solemnly, "You know there's this book I heard about called Anna Karenina, or was it War and Peace….oh wait, no, it must have been Doctor Zhivago…"

"Sid, you tell, we not have sex for full year." Geno swats Sidney's hand away from his stomach (Geno says he's not ticklish, but so far he doesn't let Sid's fingers near his stomach for more than 30 seconds without manhandling it away, Sid knows better to trust his word). "I serious."

"I won't say anything." Sid buries his face in Geno's neck and nuzzles slightly, "Promise."

 

 


End file.
